Rebel Wilson has won a defamation lawsuit filed by Australian actress Charlotte MacInnes, marking the end of a high-profile legal battle connected to Wilson’s directorial debut, The Deb. An Australian court ruled in Wilson’s favor after determining that MacInnes failed to prove the social media posts in question caused, or were likely to cause, serious harm to her reputation. The decision brings a significant legal victory for the actress and filmmaker.
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The dispute centered on events linked to the production of The Deb in 2023. Wilson said MacInnes had told her she felt uncomfortable after an alleged interaction involving the film’s co-producer, Amanda Ghost. Wilson also claimed MacInnes later withdrew her complaint to protect her career, a point she later referred to in social media posts that became the focus of the lawsuit.
However, MacInnes denied ever making or withdrawing such a complaint and argued that Wilson’s public statements damaged her reputation. During the trial, Wilson rejected accusations that she had fabricated the claims or used them to gain an advantage during disagreements over the film’s budget and writing credits. The court ultimately ruled that the legal threshold for defamation had not been met.
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Justice Elizabeth Raper concluded that MacInnes had not established that the publications caused, or were likely to cause, serious harm to her reputation. As a result, the court dismissed the defamation claim and ruled in Wilson’s favor. The judgment ended months of legal proceedings surrounding the dispute connected to the production of The Deb.
Following the verdict, Wilson described the legal battle as emotionally challenging, saying The Deb had been her dream project and that seeing it overshadowed by court proceedings was incredibly difficult. She thanked those who supported her throughout the case and expressed gratitude to the judge and the Australian legal system, adding that she now looks forward to focusing on her family and future work.